PET/CT scans and blood tests to guide immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and focused radiation for metastatic lung cancer
Biomarkers of Response to Immuno-chemotherapy & oliGometastatic Hypofractionated radioTherapy (BRIGHT) for Lung Cancer: Synergy of PET/CT Imaging and Peripheral Blood Assays
This project combines PET/CT imaging and blood immune tests to help identify which people with metastatic non‑small cell lung cancer will benefit from immunotherapy plus chemotherapy and targeted radiation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237966 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get PET/CT scans and regular blood draws before and during standard immunotherapy plus chemotherapy so doctors can track tumor activity and immune signals. The research team will combine imaging measures of macroscopic tumor burden with circulating immune biomarkers to look for early signs of response or hidden systemic disease. For patients with only a few metastatic spots, investigators will study whether adding focused, higher‑dose radiation to those sites improves control. The overall aim is to tailor treatment so radiation is given when likely to help and avoided when it would only add toxicity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with newly diagnosed metastatic non‑small cell lung cancer who are starting standard-of-care immunotherapy plus chemotherapy and who can have PET/CT scans and blood tests, especially those with a limited number of metastases.
Not a fit: People with small‑cell lung cancer, early-stage disease, widespread metastases not eligible for focused radiation, or those unable to travel for serial scans and blood draws are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help doctors personalize treatment so more patients get effective combinations of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted radiation while reducing unnecessary side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show PET imaging and blood immune markers can give useful clues about treatment response, but using both together to guide addition of focused radiation in oligometastatic NSCLC is a relatively new and still-developing approach.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bowen, Stephen R. — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Bowen, Stephen R.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.